SWNOVELXO Chapter 186 - Well-Trained
Chapter 186 – Well-Trained
───Dududududu!
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but this is more than I expected.”
The sounds of countless different types of gunfire scattered through the snowy winds of the Arctic Ocean.
The weather conditions were unfavorable. Each match varied in the map’s weather, the locations of boxes, and the activation zones for skills. Sometimes, even the structure of the map changed. Therefore, the first thing players did was to guess the current map’s configuration, even roughly.
Case, like the others, should have done the same, but the first match, which had just ended, kept circling in his mind. This was not a good sign, but what could he do? Nothing in life goes exactly as planned.
Moreover, there was a reason for this.
‘It’s not just one or two, but many Korean players showing better performance than expected. Their individual skills were enough to break down pre-established strategies.’
It would be ideal to handle situations flexibly and adaptively, but that was naturally impossible without a certain level of skill. Even he was taken aback, so it was unlikely that less experienced players could achieve better results in combat.
Additionally, the results of the first match had left a significant mark on everyone’s mentality. They had expected who would be first. However, the fact that six Korean players were in the top fifteen was quite shocking.
How much progress had Korea’s top players made in such a short time, less than a month?
“….”
It was impossible to avoid all twenty Korean representatives. At the very least, they had to avoid getting caught up in a fight with the core player among them—Yoo Jin. They had not gathered enough data on her yet, so it was a decision made out of necessity.
Ironically, during the two initial matches, that decision had worked to some extent. Yoo Jin had won, but she hadn’t secured enough kill points. In those two consecutive matches, she had secured 4 points and 3 points, respectively.
It was a slight underperformance compared to previously eliminating 12 players in a single match.
However, the Asia Preliminary was also a kind of team game.
The points one country could earn by taking first place were significant, but there were various ways to make up for that.
Of course, for his team—Japan—it placed an enormous burden compared to before, but if they kept snowballing, it wasn’t impossible to catch up with Korea’s points by the end of Sunday.
Meanwhile,
───Kakakakang!
“Hoo.”
Whoever it was, they were causing chaos.
The sound of a large-caliber gunshot echoed through the blizzard. It was highly likely to be Yoo Jin.
The tactic devised to counter her was based on that very scene. Using high-powered firearms skillfully to apply a heavy, suppressive force, not allowing even a glimpse of a head. But there was data to be extracted from this.
Thus, Japan’s analysis team thoroughly understood this and calculated the user’s maximum speed average value, presenting a new engagement principle: ‘If the engagement seems impossible, retreat faster than that speed.’
Of course, there were objections.
However, most had been riddled with holes in the first match and then quietly accepted it.
The reverberation of the sound just heard. There was a high probability that they were within 200 meters.
Case, too, had accumulated new experiences in engagements with Yoo Jin over the two matches and judged that a direct confrontation had little chance of success. In other words, he needed to stay further away from the eye of the storm.
Moreover, it seemed that unwelcome guests were appearing as well.
───Drurrr!
“A guest has arrived in the meantime.”
Case pulled the trigger. Dozens of bullets tore through the air. Although not a single shot hit, it was a form of suppressive fire, so accuracy wasn’t crucial.
Just because the Korean players had improved didn’t mean his skills had diminished. Moreover, even if Japan was underperforming, he had the skill to advance to the finals alone—but even so, he put his all into every engagement. He assessed the opponent’s skills and calculated the odds calmly.
The only variable he wasn’t accustomed to was probably the avatars.
‘Avatars that look like they should be dancing at a ball, walking around in the game with guns…I just can’t get used to it.’
He had customized his own avatar a bit, but it wasn’t drastically different from reality. Nowadays, just having an avatar with the same gender as in reality was considered not very dressed up.
What kind of enemy would pop out this time? He didn’t dislike pretty things…anyway, he aimed his gun towards the sound of movement, preparing himself. The distance was about 70 meters. Quite a significant gap.
He maintained his utmost concentration, continuing to aim in that direction.
───!
“Damn…!”
A figure suddenly appeared, moving at an alarming speed, scraping the air with gunfire.
The sound, like a drone hovering. It indicated that the opponent’s gun had a high rate of fire. Yet, the accuracy was impressive. His shield was being shredded as if it had been against a grinding belt.
A rapid surge of adrenaline—and the danger level of the opponent. Something felt off. It was clearly someone extremely skilled in close combat. Seeing how they were quickly closing the distance, it was evident that he needed to respond with all his might.
Was it Yoo Jin? Or another Korean player? If it was the former, they would press heavily with a large-caliber gun, and if it was the latter, he could handle it. He decided to observe the combat situation first.
However,
‘….’
Even as time passed, the ominous feeling didn’t fade. No, it was slightly different. How to describe it…it felt as if the very space was being dominated by the opponent.
Simultaneously, a thought crossed his mind—why had he assumed that Yoo Jin would always use large-caliber guns to deal with other players?
And then he saw it.
“This is bad.”
A plate carrier protecting only the vital organs and chest area.
A chest rig that looked visibly light. Holding an MPX, charging towards him with enough force to break the ground. Even with a long snake tail that seemed purely ornamental and disadvantageous.
Instead of the usual estimated 40kg of full gear she carried, she looked like she had only about 20kg. A halved weight meant she was focusing on speed.
As predicted, Yoo Jin was approaching with such speed that no one in her sight could escape.
Death itself was rushing at full speed toward him.
Both muzzles flashed.
A life-or-death showdown began.
“Aah, just as we speak! The big match between Yoo Jin and Case is starting─!”
───Waaaaaaaah!
All of Yongsan shook.
From the eSports stadium to part of Yongsan Park and a nearby large exhibition hall, the rented space held about 200,000 people, all raising their voices in unison. The impact was such that there were posts on social media about being able to hear the cheers even from inside cars, wondering what was happening in Yongsan.
The power of the cheers continued without dropping, even after several rounds. To be precise, it couldn’t drop. Each match, and each engagement, was new. There was a person whose physical abilities increased with every match, even though one in every seven Koreans was watching.
This was the same scene occurring in the massive hologram area set up in the middle of Yongsan Park, following the main stadium and the large exhibition hall.
“Hey, I’ve fought that person over seven times, you know? If I had done just a little better, it might have been neck and neck.”
“Stop bullshitting, Kato.”
“No, seriously!”
Thus, the chaos unfolded in all directions.
However, all the small noises were just that—noise. Everyone’s attention was solely on the screen. The broadcasting performance, which was on par with that inside the stadium, also contributed to this.
And on that screen was Case, desperately fighting against Yoo Jin. As seconds passed into tens of seconds, and then into minutes, everyone watched breathlessly. Despite it being the third match, the tension and excitement were still high.
A player who had been considered an insurmountable wall last year was now crumbling under the relentless, overwhelming waves. Yet, he held on tenaciously.
How much time had passed?
“Oh, Case! After holding out against Yoo Jin for nearly three minutes, he successfully diverted the aggro and escaped! It’s not the strong that survive, but the survivors that are strong! He is showing this in full measure!”
Though unfortunately, he didn’t manage to capture her, the pillar of Japan, who had kept them in first place until now, was now fleeing in a battered state.
HP below 10%. His shield was already shattered. The number of bullets used in those three minutes alone was close to 600. This engagement had ascended to a level that could be called nothing short of high-dimensional.
A ballet of steel and fire, where even breathing was hard. In such a space, the scent of death was unavoidable. Only those who had honed their skills to genuinely kill could achieve such a bloody intensity. In the eyes of the two players, there burned a deep flame of madness.
This fact, while not exactly known, was deeply imprinted in the minds of all who watched, with an overwhelming presence that couldn’t be erased.
Once the excitement subsided, a cool-headed analysis began.
“The noteworthy point in this third match is that Yoo Jin’s playstyle has changed. In the first and second matches, she applied heavy pressure on her opponents, but now, she seems to be actively hunting them down.”
“Indeed. If you look at the detailed data, the weight she’s carrying is about half of what it was in the previous rounds. This is the simplest way to ensure much better mobility.”
“Given that Yoo Jin is in hardcore mode, such engagements would surely be physically demanding. What do you think about this?”
“Considering what she has shown so far, it’s not something to worry about, is it? Even if she faces physical issues, Korea would already have gained a substantial points advantage by then.”
The third match was already heading toward its conclusion.
Fortunately for everyone, Yoo Jin’s change in combat style didn’t lead to a dramatic improvement over before. The players here were also carefully selected from their respective countries.
Even if they were to die, they had the skills to hold on for a few minutes or at least manage to take care of themselves. As a result, Yoo Jin’s kill points increased by only about 50%.
When Yoo Jin was in the top 10, she had 5 kill points.
“Oh, as we speak, the kill zone is entering its final phase. Ten players remain. What an impressive lineup. Korea’s Yoo Jin and Dice, Doberman. Russia’s Zvezda and MKVS. Taiwan’s Stinger and China’s Sahara, Liu, and Japan’s Case and Suzuran. Except for Doberman, all of these players made it to the finals last year.”
“The players who have survived to this point have the skills to make it to the finals on their own. Especially Doberman, who has shown remarkable momentum, having killed three players to make it into the top 10 this round.”
“It remains to be seen if Korea can take first place in the Asia preliminaries this year. Considering the overall improvement in the Korean team’s average skill, we might see five players from Korea heading to the Final Championship.”
The kill zone narrowed.
Simultaneously, individual movements began. The kill zone would consume everything until it converged into a single point, burning anything that moved until only one remained.
Players from each country were scattered. Even if representatives from the same country began fighting, it didn’t matter much—as the moment they encountered each other, the avatars of dead players from other countries were superimposed on their view, so no one would know who killed whom until the end.
The engagements began.
“The first to open fire are Dice and Sahara. The combat area is inside a building. Both have 100% shields. At this point, choosing the right firearm is crucial.”
“As we speak, Dice has pulled out a shotgun from behind. It’s an AA-12. Interestingly, she’s using a drum magazine loaded alternately with slugs and 12-gauge rounds. It’s a weapon choice tailored for the extreme late-stage building combat.”
“Indeed. Her kill points being only 2 indicates she has been avoiding engagements due to the weapon’s characteristics—ah, Dice’s 20-round drum magazine is spinning! She’s unleashing an unstoppable barrage of close-range firepower at Sahara!”
With only 2 kill points.
The weapon itself was heavy, and the magazine was so large it barely fit into the multipurpose pouch. All these inconveniences were borne for this very moment, as Dice poured her rage into pulling the trigger.
Sahara, too, hid behind various cover spots within the building, seeking an opportunity. Sparks flew as the battle raged. However, the 12 slugs from Dice’s shotgun were perfect for suppressing not just a point but an area, and the skills like Firefly and Seeker Mine were easily crushed.
Even the sneaky tactic of taking shots from behind cover while Dice reloaded didn’t work. By the time an opportunity arose, Dice had already secured a safe distance.
She only struck when an opportunity presented itself.
That was all.
It didn’t take Sahara long to regret not leaving the building.
The time it took for the bullets from the overheated gun barrel to turn him into rags was equally short.
Cheers erupted.
───Waaaaah!
“Oh, Dice! She has completely overwhelmed Sahara with the most effective tactics in this terrain! Her kill count has now risen to 3!”
“Meanwhile, other engagements are happening. Yoo Jin, who was fighting her compatriot Doberman, is now being attacked by Zvezda. Unpredictable situations continue to unfold.”
“From nine to eight, eight to seven. The outcome of the third match will be decided within the next two minutes.”
Where there are winners, there are losers.
Using others’ corpses as stepping stones, the survivors moved up a rank one by one. However, like a firmly embedded nail, some names remained unyielding among the chaos.
From ten to seven, then to five.
And three.
How much time had passed?
‘…It’s clearly Yoo Jin.’
Yoo Jin, in light gear, was aiming at Dice—a sight no one had seen before.
Though the filter masked her as a different player, Dice could tell. Beneath that false appearance, the cold, fierce gleam unique to Yoo Jin’s eyes seemed to burn like a flame.
The kill zone had infiltrated the building where the three were. A fierce engagement ensued. Yoo Jin’s speed allowed her to close the distance, but the other two’s shooting skills were considerable, making it difficult for Dice to leverage her shotgun’s power.
Of course, Case, who could see both avatars, knew that either one was a ticking time bomb.
However, just as time couldn’t be stopped, the engagement was inevitable.
Yoo Jin was the first to act. She moved directly to accurately grasp the remaining two’s positions—targeting Dice. But Dice had her own strategy.
Her shotgun roared as if she didn’t care about what lay behind. Yoo Jin’s momentum was momentarily halted by the unexpectedly wide spread of shots, while precise shots came from another direction. Case, sensing it was his only chance, charged in without hesitation, closing the distance.
Case believed that if he could eliminate Yoo Jin and survive, there would be a way out.
Dice thought the same.
Despite being sandwiched between two top-tier players, Yoo Jin pressured them both, attempting to escape the chaotic fight.
It was a perfect melee.
It didn’t take long for the situation to unravel into a spectacular wreck.
And it defied everyone’s expectations.
-[Notice: Eugene ‘Axed’ Keith]
-[Notice: Keith ▄︻┻┳═- Eugene]
“Oh! What’s this? Case and Yoo Jin, who were engaged in intense combat, have both met their end───!”
Case, with an axe lodged in his forehead, and Yoo Jin, whose body turned into a honeycomb as she resisted until the end, disappeared simultaneously.
It was simple. Yoo Jin had pushed Dice to the brink, reducing her HP to a critical level—Dice had become too dangerous, and Case, in his last stand, couldn’t avoid Yoo Jin’s desperate final shot as he was ejected to the lobby.
Meanwhile, Dice, having narrowly avoided the incoming bullets, emerged from cover with a bewildered expression.
As the polygons of the two scattered, signaling the end of the match, the entire space began to collapse.
“…What? It’s over? Why?”
What had happened?
Despite becoming the second winner after Yoo Jin, Dice’s expression held only confusion instead of the joy of victory.
As always, it was just another typical day at the AP tournament.